Maitland top EBL after victory over Craigentinny

STEWART MEIKLE

Maitland have hit the front entering the final four-match straight in the race for the Division 1 title of the Alpha Trophies-sponsored Edinburgh Bowling League after a 6-3 home win over chief rivals Craigentinny.

Seven-times winners Craigentinny arrived defending a slender half-point lead over their opponents but now face a thrilling climax to a three-horse race involving them, Maitland and defending champions Parkside.

Good double-figure wins for Alan Trotter and Gary Stout combined to capture the bonus point for a Maitland team that came close to achieving a 7-2 win over Craigentinny but were denied a third win when Daniel Gormley carded a single at the last to clinch a 15-15 peel with Allan Smith.

Trotter had set the Maitland greenside alight with a scorching start to lead 14-0 then remained hot to skip George Trotter, Billy Clark and Jim Robertson to a 23-6 win over Scott Rogers.

Stout skipped Ryan Taylor, Stuart Clark and Gordon Clark to a 22-6 win, having raced into a 16-2 lead over Andy Caldwell. However, Graeme McIntosh suffered a punishing 22-10 defeat from Andrew Jeffrey.